On behalf of the UNDP Ethiopia Country office, I would like to welcome all of you to this important consultation workshop.

After the formulation and the launching of the CRGE strategy by the GOE, which is marked as a first and robust Climate Resilient Green economy strategy in the continent, we/UNDP, as a development partner of the GOE are pleased to support in taking the strategy to the next level, namely its implementation. UNDP has been at the forefront supporting and applauding Ethiopia as it blazed a trail in Africa with the launch of its Climate Resilient Green Economy strategy and facility establishment. Moreover, UNDP is providing support through its CRGE programme for the seven identified sectors in order to enable the kick starting of the implementation by creating the enabling environment for five federal implementing partners (MOA, EPA.MOFD, MOI and MOWE)

The support that UNDP provides to the Ministry of Water and Energy is not only at the structure/ soft component, it also extended in strengthen
• The capacity of the Federal Laboratory equipment for the renewable energy including improved cookstoves
• In kind support (ICT equipment) , technical training and exposure visit to strengthen the capacity of the ministry on the low carbon economy
• Revision of the Policy and undertaking rapid assessment and gap analysis which enabled the country to join the SG’s SE4all initiate on which the GOE already embarked on the three objectives: Efficiency, Access and Increasing the renewable in the energy matrix.

Currently, there are several initiatives, contributions and pledges are going on in a fragmented manner around the improved cookstoves which need to be coordinated under one national umbrella Programme for its effectiveness so as to achieve the sated goal at national level under the GTP as well as the CRGE strategy. The implementation of this national programme under the renewable energy sector, in addition to its wide spread, and positive human centered socio-economic environment impact, the establishment of a national framework will pave the road and serve as a pilot parogramme/Project for the other Programmatic initiative of the strategy.

Hence, UNDP is proud to be closely associated with the Ministry and other partner in organizing this workshop which we believe that by the inputs of the two days consultation we will have:

An implementable Investment Plan that would be compatible with the CRGE structure requirements.

A programmatic approach with the view that the 5-year Investment Plan will build the foundation for achieving the long-term objective of deploying 31 million stoves by 2030.

An outcome on the development of the MRV system for tracking the achievements of the programme.

An Update and segregate baseline data according to the cooking habits of the 11 regions

A Framework for National Coordination and management mechanism including donor and resource mobilization.

After finalizing this document , the Ministry of Water and Energy will continue in seating at the forefront for the full implementation of the National programme through strengthening its existing stricture as well as the newly established CRGE facility which will serve as a vehicle to mobilize; access and combine domestic and international, public and private sources of finance to support the institutional building and implementation of Ethiopia’s CRGE Strategy, through grants as well as guarantees and results-based payments.

By ensuring compliance with international standards and requirements (including on the monitoring, reporting and verification of activities, and the effective and transparent use of finance) it hopes to enable the Government to directly access international climate funds such as the Green Fund.

The CRGE Facility will support and incentivise a programmatic approach to climate change activities, minimizing the transaction costs and duplication associated with a projectized approach.

The Facility provides a single engagement point where the Government, development partners, the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders can engage and make decisions about climate change issues, thus enhancing coordination and aid effectiveness and reducing fragmentation.

Distinguished Participants,
We hope that this consultation workshop will enable the country to formulate an implementable document which will bring all contributors at the same page and which is in line with current CRGE strategy development including the establishment of the facility at national level.

In UNDP, and particularly in our Ethiopia Country Office, we continue to concretize our commitment to keeping abreast of emerging climate change and related issues. This can be clearly seen not only in our country programme, but the joint UN Development Assistance Framework, which calls for supporting technologies, practices and financing mechanisms in Ethiopia that promote Low Carbon Climate Resilient Economy and society and climate smart technologies.